Bound and Determined
by drakien
Summary: Hermione saves Severus's life, but at what cost? Oneshot, mild HGSS


Title: Bound and Determined

Rating: T

Spoilers: Takes place in DH in the Shrieking Shack, right after the Harry/Severus moment.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Well, maybe a few DVDs. Not much beyond that, though.

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><p>Hermione lagged behind her friends as they dashed out of the Shrieking Shack. Conjuring a vial quite similar to the one she'd made for Severus's memories, she used a quick spell to collect the blood he'd lost.<p>

There was magic in blood. Magic that had been mostly reduced to superstition and rumor. Magic that was, in the modern age, only studied by practitioners of the Dark Arts.

And by one know-it-all Gryffindor.

She clearly remembered when she'd first found the book. She'd been giving the library at Grimmauld Place a thorough cleaning, and noticed it behind one of the shelves…almost as though it had been purposefully hidden.

A glance through it, and she understood why. Never one to shy away from any sort of knowledge, she kept her findings to herself, but studied the ancient tome.

To her surprise, she learned that Blood Magic was not, by itself, inherently evil, nor solely associated with the Dark Arts. The spell that protected Harry was Blood Magic. The danger came with the power of the spells; blood amplified things. It could make a potion stronger, a charm more effective, or a hex unstoppable.

She read the book, over and over, and she understood.

Blood Magic was about sacrifice. One person willing to offer something of themselves. And looking down at her dying professor, who would no doubt accuse her of being a stereotypical Gryffindor with a savior complex if he could, there was no question that she would willingly sacrifice herself to save him.

'_So much blood,'_ she thought, praying it wasn't too late.

Working as quickly as she could, for she would likely only have a minute or two, Hermione poured two doses of antivenin down his throat, and covered the ghastly wound on his neck with dittany before bandaging it.

And then it was time.

She'd been researching this particular spell for the last year. References to it had been suspiciously hard to find, and when she had, the instructions and descriptions were vague and piecemeal. As time went on, however, Hermione had been able to put the information together to form a coherent picture.

Using her wand and a carefully controlled slicing hex, Hermione cut a line across her right palm. Taking Severus's hand, she copied the action; she hated for him to lose any more blood, but this was necessary.

She clasped their hands together and started the incantation.

"Blood to my blood." Hermione felt the first stirrings of an unnatural wind, and suddenly felt faint.

"Heart to my heart." The words came harder, and the wind picked up until all the candles in the room were out. Overwhelming exhaustion swept over her.

"Soul to my soul." She felt like some unseen force was trying to muffle her words, to keep them deep inside her, but she was nothing if not stubborn. At this point, the air around them started to glow, centered on their clasped hands.

"Life…to my life!" These last words were forced out from between gritted teeth, and when the last syllable was uttered a brilliant flash of pure white light shot through the room.

Hermione sat down heavily, panting as the magical energy in the room dissipated. It was done; the healed scars on their hands were the proof.

He would live, and while he would be bound to her, he would never know it. She'd only wanted to keep him alive, not control him.

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><p>Knowing that she had to catch up with Harry and Ron quickly, Hermione called for an Elf. Giving it instructions to take Professor Snape to her house and watch over him, she could only hope that the combination of his injuries and the potions she'd given him would keep him asleep until the battle finished.<p>

She also hoped that she'd be alive to come back to him.

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><p>An eternity later, after the dust settled, the only thing she seemed able to focus on was the smell. She'd give anything to be able to ignore it, but she knew it would stay with her forever. How could it not? It was everywhere she turned. The battle was over, they had won, but the price was the blood.<p>

Then she remembered _him_, too.

Him and his blood, as it pooled around his broken form.

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><p>By the time Hermione returned to her house, a day after the battle had ended, he was gone, never to be seen or heard from again.<p>

She made a life for herself, finishing school, getting her Mastery in Arithmancy, and traveling around Europe consulting for various firms in need of her services.

Almost forty-three years to the day after the Final Battle, Hermione Jean Granger died of cancer that had gone too long undetected for even the best Healers at St. Mungo's to treat.

That same day, halfway around the world, Severus Snape dropped the vial he'd been holding as his entire body shuddered. After that day, for reasons he never fully understood, he spent the rest of his life feeling strangely empty inside.

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><p>HGSS<p>

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><p>AN: I know, sort of depressing. I do appreciate reviews, though, so if you have a second to spare, please hit the button!


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